What is the proper page length for a CV?

“Is it alright to have a CV that is more than two pages long?” — Christopher S.

Answer:

Industry standards state that two pages is the optimal length for a CV. However, one size doesn’t fit all. Therefore, the length of your CV will depend on the level of experience and skills you have in your arsenal.

If you’re just leaving university or applying for your first job, it’s likely that your CV will be one page in length. If you have established yourself in your career, your CV should be two pages – most people fall into this category.

The three-page CV is used very rarely and should be saved for those who are directorship level and have a significant amount of achievements. It can also be used by freelancers and contractors who need the space to cover their range of projects and assignments.

If you’re a decade or two into your career and have written a three-page CV filled with relevant information, chances are you could cut some of the details. Remember that prospective employers want to see the skills that you have obtained and developed most recently. Therefore, your current position of employment should contain the most detail as it’s the height of your career so far.

Jobs older than 10 years or so can be reduced to employment dates, your job title and the company, or even removed completely as they’re not as important at this time, even if they are relevant.

Remember that your CV isn’t a document of your entire career history. Rather, it’s just the best, most recent bits to show that you’re able to do the job the employer is hiring for. If you delete jobs from a decade or more ago, recruiters won’t assume that you were unemployed. They’re more likely to think you’re smart for focusing on the details that are important to the job you’re applying for.

Is your CV a proper length? Get a free CV review and we’ll tell you where you stand.